Commonwealth Games: Dame Sophie Pascoe returns as several debut in New Zealand Commonwealth Games swimming team

Dame Sophie Pascoe won gold in the Women's SB9 100m Breaststroke final at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Photo / Photosport

There will be new faces hitting the pool for New Zealand at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, with several athletes in the 12-strong squad named to make their debut on the stage.

Along with the experience of Gold Coast Commonwealth Games double gold medallist and New Zealand's most decorated Paralympian Dame Sophie Pascoe and 2018 Games bronze medalist Lewis Clareburt, several athletes will compete at the Commonwealth Games for the first time.

Among the debutants are rising teenage stars Erika Fairweather, Cameron Gray and Joshua Willmer, alongside Hazel Ouwehand, Andrew Jeffcoat and Mya Rasmussen, while Paralympic Games gold medallist Tupou Neiufi attends her second, after a sixth-placed finish in the 100m Backstroke S9 in 2018.

"It's been a difficult couple of years for all our swimmers with their international campaigns being impacted by Covid," Swimming New Zealand chief executive Steve Johns said.

"The team selected has shown remarkable resilience and deserve their places and the opportunity to represent New Zealand at this pinnacle international event."

While the able-bodied athletes' selections are confirmed, the four para-athletes (Pascoe, Neiufi, Willmer and Reynolds) have been conditionally selected and cannot be fully confirmed until the New Zealand Olympic Committee has received confirmation of quota places. That confirmation is expected within the next week.

The squad will begin heading overseas in May, ahead of the FINA World Championships to be held in Budapest in June, with the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July.

New Zealand Commonwealth Games swimming team

Lewis Clareburt – Men's 400 Individual Medley, Men's 200 Individual Medley. Permission to Start in the Men's 200 Freestyle
Erika Fairweather (debut) – Women's 400 Freestyle. Permission to Start in the Women's 200 Freestyle and Women's 100 Freestyle
Helena Gasson – Women's 200 Individual Medley. Permission to start in the Women's 200 Fly, Women's 100 Fly, Women's 50 Fly and Women's 50 Backstroke
Cameron Gray (debut) – Men's 50 Fly. Permission to start in the Men's 200 Freestyle, Men's 100 Freestyle, Men's 50 Freestyle and Men's 50 Backstroke
Andrew Jeffcoat (debut) – Men's 100 Backstroke, Men's 50 Backstroke. Permission to start in the Men's 200 Backstroke
Tupou Neiufi - 100 Backstroke S9 (S8), permission to start in 100 Freestyle S9 (S8)
Hazel Ouwehand (debut) – Women's 50 Fly. Permission to start in the Women's 100 Backstroke, Women's 50 Backstroke and Women's 100 Fly
Dame Sophie Pascoe – Women's 100 Freestyle S9
Eve Thomas – Women's 800 Freestyle. Permission to start in the Women's 400 Freestyle and Women's 200 Freestyle
Mya Rasmussen (debut) – Women's 400 Individual Medley. Permission to start in the Women's 200 Individual Medley and the Women's 200 Breaststroke
Jesse Reynolds - Men's 100 Backstroke S9, permission to start in 100 Fly S10 (S9) and 100 Breaststroke SB8*
Joshua Willmer (debut) – Men's 100 Breaststroke SB8, permission to start in 100 Backstroke S9 and 100 Fly S9